John Cumberland

John Cumberland
John Cumberland
	Tidewater Tides c. 1988
	Pitcher
	Born: May 10, 1947; Westbrook, Maine, U.S.
	Died: April 5, 2022 (aged 74); Lutz, Florida, U.S.
	Batted: Right Threw: Left
MLB debut
	September 27, 1968, for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
	July 27, 1974, for the California Angels
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	15–16
Earned run average	3.82
Strikeouts	137
	Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
	New York Yankees (1968–1970); San Francisco Giants (1970–1972); St. Louis Cardinals (1972); California Angels (1974);

John Sheldon Cumberland (May 10, 1947 – April 5, 2022)

right-handed

and was listed as 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 185 pounds (84 kg).

Pitching career

Born in

minor-league season, which he spent with the Eugene Emeralds of the Class A Short Season Northwest League

, prior to his selection by the Yankees in the November draft.

The Yankees advanced Cumberland all the way to

MLB debut as a Yankee, appearing in three games during the 1968 and 1969 campaigns. The 1970 season began with him on the New York roster. He appeared in 15 games through July 19, eight as a starter, before being traded on July 20 to the Giants for fellow southpaw Mike McCormick

.

Although Cumberland would be sent to Triple-A

inning with none out, a runner on base, and the Giants trailing 3–2. They were not able to overcome the early deficit, and when the game ended 9–4 Pittsburgh, Cumberland was charged with the loss.^[4]

He began

Salt Lake City. He was able to return to the majors in 1974 with the Halos on May 29, and over the next two months, he worked in 17 games—all in relief

—and posted a 3.74 ERA in 212⁄3 innings pitched. His nine-year professional pitching career ended that season.

All told, Cumberland appeared in 110 MLB games, 36 as a starting pitcher. He compiled a 15–16 won–lost mark with six complete games, two shutouts and two saves. In 3341⁄3 innings pitched, he permitted 312

bases on balls

and 142 earned runs, with 137 strikeouts. He career ERA was 3.82. In the postseason (the 1971 NLCS), he was 0–1 (9.00) in three full innings pitched, allowing seven hits and no bases on balls, with four strikeouts.

Coaching career

Cumberland began a 23-year professional baseball coaching career in the

Doc Gooden dominated the Carolina loop with a 19–4 (2.50) performance, Cumberland was promoted to Triple-A Tidewater, spending another three years there before he was named the Mets' 1989 minor league pitching coordinator. Cumberland left the Mets after the 1990 season, and worked as minor league pitching coordinator or Triple-A pitching coach for the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres

.

He then joined the

scout. He was pitching coach of Triple-A Pawtucket from 1996 to 1998, then rejoined the Red Sox' MLB staff as bullpen coach under Jimy Williams from 1999 to August 15, 2001. He then briefly succeeded Joe Kerrigan (Williams' replacement) as pitching coach, before he was dropped from Kerrigan's staff on September 3 and left the Bosox' system for good. But he returned to the American League the next season as pitching coach of the Kansas City Royals under skipper Tony Peña from June 18, 2002, through June 29, 2004.^[6]

Cumberland left baseball after departing Peña's staff in mid-2004. He died in Lutz, Florida, at 74, on April 5, 2022, survived by his wife of 52 years, three sons, a brother, a sister, and three grandchildren. A former member of the United States Army Reserve, he also was a member of the Maine Sports Hall of Fame.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b John Cumberland obituary, Dignity Memorial.com
^ Career statistics and history at Baseball-Reference.com
^ "University of Maine Baseball Players Who Made It to the Major Leagues". Baseball-Almanac.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2004. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
^ Retrosheet box score (3 October 1971): "Pittsburgh Pirates 9, San Francisco Giants 4," National League Championship Series, Game 2
^ "White Sox Acquire Henderson And Send Bradley to the Giants," The New York Times, Thursday, November 30, 1972. Retrieved March 10, 2020
^ Retrosheet coach's page

External links

Career statistics from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)

Preceded by Mike Roarke Joe Kerrigan	Boston Red Sox pitching coach 1995 2001	Succeeded by Al Nipper Ralph Treuel
Preceded by Dick Pole	Boston Red Sox bullpen coach 1999–2001	Succeeded by Bob Kipper
Preceded by Al Nipper	Kansas City Royals pitching coach 2002–2004	Succeeded by Mike Mason

[Cumby40-1] John Cumberland obituary, Dignity Memorial.com

[data-2] Career statistics and history at Baseball-Reference.com

[maine-3] "University of Maine Baseball Players Who Made It to the Major Leagues". Baseball-Almanac.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2004. Retrieved July 20, 2013.

[4] Retrosheet box score (3 October 1971): "Pittsburgh Pirates 9, San Francisco Giants 4," National League Championship Series, Game 2

[5] "White Sox Acquire Henderson And Send Bradley to the Giants," The New York Times, Thursday, November 30, 1972. Retrieved March 10, 2020

[6] Retrosheet coach's page

[4]

[6]

[1]